The Angel Mr Smith
by firebunee
Summary: He talks to GOD... is he really crazy? Kurdy and Jeremiah are about to find out as they have all been sent to Bailey to find a murder/kidnapper. What happens when the murder finds one of them? Could this lead to a demise? Containes spoilers for Season 2.
1. Chapter 1

**I hope that you read and enjoy this! Please read and review this for me!!!**

**Chapter 1**

Mr. Smith was an outcast… to everyone. He drove the entire staff and nearly all of the residents of Thunder Mountain up the proverbial wall. He was comfortable with himself and his ability to communicate with GOD. He communicated with the creator of the universe all the time. It was in fact like second nature to him to spout out the line "GOD says." That alone in the old world… pre Big Death world… would likely have landed him in the nut house. Most of the time when Kurdy heard his friend say "GOD says…" he would just ignore it, or remind him that he just couldn't believe. If Jeremiah heard the words "GOD says…" he would remind Smith that he thought he was crazy. Everyone at the mountain would dismiss what he said as mindless drivel; the yammering of a senseless… almost insane man. Yet they were always intrigued with how much the insane man really did seem to know; things that could only be inspired or told to him by divine intervention. For instance; how could he have known that if Kurdy had allowed himself to be taken during the siege of Valhalla Sector that this was the only way he could help Marcus, Erin, Jeremiah and Devon. How could he have known that if he waited in the woods on a specific spot on one night that GOD himself would work a miracle… any miracle. He had almost convinced the rest to wait with him. They could have had anything they wanted and they had left. They left in frustration and disbelief and only found that they had departed too soon. The next day Smiths permanent damage to his arm done by the bullet from Libby had been reversed and his arm was restored. How could he have known this? How could this simple man have known all of this?

Kurdy had been the first to meet Mr. Smith while fleeing Valhalla Sector's foot patrols. He had nearly beaten Smith his insistence that GOD had told him he would be there. It hadn't taken Kurdy long to realize that his new found "friend" was going to be an asset to him. Kurdy had argued with Marcus when he insisted he could not take Mr. Smith along as a partner. It had taken the near death of Kurdy caused by his then partner to realize that Kurdy knew who best to take along as a partner since he and Jeremiah would no longer be working together.

Jeremiah and Smith had been like oil and water from the beginning. If it was jealousy due to the fact that Kurdy was now working with Smith or something else nobody knew. It wasn't until Kurdy insisted that Smith confess to killing Libby, Jeremiah's adoration, or so Jeremiah thought she was, did it finally come to an abrupt explosion. It had taken so long for Jeremiah to come to grips with the fact that his love was only using him to help further the plight of Daniel. He would have killed Smith with his bare hands if Kurdy hadn't stopped him. It had nearly cost Smith his life when Kurdy let it slip that Jeremiah couldn't forgive Smith until Simms, the man who had lead Liberty astray, was dead. It was then Jeremiah realized the asset Mr. Smith was to himself and Thunder Mountain.

Today was the day the three had been asked to go and survey the town of Bailey to get a better feel for what was going on with the locals. It had been reported that there was a gang of people looting, steeling, and killing all in there path. They had been reported to be roaming the area surrounding Bailey. Marcus had been made aware of the situation when a team had been sent to Thunder Mountain after communications had been taken out. They were sent by the head of the community. Bailey had worked hard to recover following the Big Death. They were one of the first areas to have established order and control. They were soon on their way to electricity. It had concerned Marcus immensely when he had discovered the possibility of hostility in the area. He had decided to send out a scouting team to the area… Jeremiah, Kurdy and Mr. Smith.

--

Jeremiah sat down at the table, his tray holding a steaming bowl of soup and a small loaf of bread. He was soon joined by two arguing men.

"Kurdy… I told you that I was no good at basket ball." Mr. Smith stated matter of factly as he looked over his right shoulder at the man following him.

"That much was obvious. Didn't you say you were a fan of sports." Kurdy interjected.

"Yeah… I mean I'm pretty good at watching them." Smith confessed sitting down next to Jeremiah.

Jeremiah furrowed his eyebrow as he listed to the two men argue over their positive and negative abilities.

"I'd say." Kurdy laughed as he tore the bread with his teeth.

"Well… I'm short and the only thing I'm really good at is…"

"Stuffing in lockers." Jeremiah stated flatly.

Kurdy and Mr. Smith both turned their heads looking at the whiskered face of the thin man eating his soup. Jeremiah looked up slowly from his bite. Smith sat slack jawed at the comment from Jeremiah.

"Did I just say that?" Jeremiah asked dropping his spoon on his tray picking up a small loaf of bread and ripping the crust from the top.

Kurdy couldn't contain the laughter as he watched the play of emotions on his new companions face. His deep laugh filled the ears of the two others sitting at the table. "Yeah Jeremiah… you sure did."

"Stuffing in lockers?" Mr. Smith responded coldly.

"Uh…" Jeremiah wiped his mouth with the paper napkin. "Yeah well… we might have tucked a couple of the… smaller ones in the lockers at school." Jeremiah stated clearing his throat.

"You stuffed kids in lockers?" Mr. Smith swallowed hard as he laid the soup spoon back on his tray. The color drained from his round face.

"Yeah it was stuff or be stuffed. I chose to stuff." Jeremiah shrugged his shoulders as he picked up his spoon again dipping it into the steaming bowl below him.

Mr. Smith turned slowly looking down at the liquid mix in the bowl below him. He was suddenly very scared of the company he was keeping.

"Don't worry Smith… my bullying days are over." Jeremiah winked at Kurdy as he took a mouthful of the warm sustenance.

Kurdy laughed a little harder as Mr. Smith sank down against the hard surface of the cafeteria chair. His normally light expression was replaced with a puzzled expression. The mystified look in his seawater green eyes took over as he looked to the left as if trying to hear the still whisper of a child speaking into his inner ear. His face changed quickly from confusion to dread and then gloom. He continued to watch something to his left that in fact wasn't there as Kurdy and Jeremiah both stopped their conversation to look at him.

"You alright?" Jeremiah questioned as he looked at the man to his left.

"Yo… Smith!" It was Kurdy's turn to elicit a response.

Mr. Smith was lost in concentration as he shook his head in a silent answer to the silent voice. He was then quickly drawn out of his state of melancholy by a fist slamming into his shoulder.

"Ouch!" Mr. Smith responded rubbing the surface of his upper arm looking at the two men with him. The look of concern in their eyes reminded him that they knew something was up.

"What's the matter Smith?" Jeremiah asked as he dropped his spoon again to the tray.

"N-Nothing." Mr. Smith responded curtly sitting straight up in his seat leaning over his bowl picking up his spoon ladling the warm liquid across his lips.

"There they are my three favorite people." Marcus Alexander walked swiftly towards the trio who were trying to enjoy what was left of their lunch.

"And this time your sending us where." Jeremiah commented abruptly while looking back down towards his steaming soup bowl.

"There is a group of people in the woods towards Bailey causing a problem for the residents of Bailey." Marcus began.

"And there is a man from at this table causing a commotion for the people trying to finish their lunch in peace." Kurdy retorted.

"I'll ignore that Kurdy." Marcus replied coolly.

"I'm only say'n." Kurdy raised an eyebrow as he slid his spoon deep into the mountain of chocolate pudding in front of him. Whom ever had found the chocolate he was sure he would have to thank them later.

"Anyways… people are turning up missing. There was a body found in the woods the other day. She was a single mother and her child was missing also." Marcus advised thumbing quickly through the file in front of him.

"And this has what to do with us?" Jeremiah asked.

"Well, I thought that since you and Kurdy are especially partial to children… and that you are three of my best scouts…"

"Marcus… we'll go." Mr. Smith interjected.

Jeremiah and Kurdy both stopped what they were doing and looked heatedly over at the smaller man sitting at the table. He was glued to everything Marcus was saying.

"Well… we'll go Marcus." Jeremiah replied coldly still staring heatedly at Mr. Smith

"You'll go?" Marcus raised his eyebrow and looked back at Kurdy.

"We'll go." Kurdy responded in a snappy tone.

"Great. I'll see you three upstairs in one hour. I'll have Lee radio Bailey letting them know that…"

"No… Marcus… no. If there is someone on the inside of the town counsel that is responsible for these murders then telling them we're coming will just send him into hiding." Jeremiah replied tossing his spoon down on the tray in front of him.

"Great… thank you… all of you." Marcus winkied at the three as he picked his tall frame up from the chair he was resting in and walked out of the room.

"We'll go?" Kurdy asked again. This time the sarcasm dripped from his tone.

"GOD told me…"

"Shut up Smith." Jeremiah rolled his eyes as he rose to his feet picking up his tray and walking towards the return.

"Kurdy… I…"

"Smith… save your breath. We ask each other in the future before we agree to go anywhere." Kurdy replied icily.

"Sure… Kurdy I have to tell…"

"I'll see you in an hour Smith… not before. You best get packing. You're going to need it." Kurdy insisted.

"Sure Kurdy…" Mr. Smith responded sadly, feeling the strain of anger from both Kurdy and Jeremiah. He dropped his spoon down onto the surface of his tray as he leaned forward onto his hands closing his eyes in annoyed frustration. He couldn't figure out why he was being treated as though he had done something so wrong. If only they would hear what he had just been told. Smith was terrified and angry, frustrated and sad at his friends… Marcus, Kurdy and Jermeiah. He was especially angry at his friend Kurdy who was treating him like he was doing something terribly wrong. He had to go. Her young life meant more to him and he had to find her. GOD told him he was going to find her.

**READ AND REVIEW!!! PLEASE... PLEASE... PRETTY PLEASE...**


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is a little brutal at the end. It deals with child abuse and is a little rough so please be warned...**

**Thanks for those reading and enjoying this story. I have about four stories going at once and I will be working on trying to finish the others so if I dont get to update soon, hang tight... its coming!**

**Chapter 2**

The ride from the Mountain to Bailey was long. In fact Mr. Smith was positive he could count the number of words said to him by his traveling companions on one hand. There was plenty to say to each other, but not to him. They had chewed over the weather and all that went with it on the chilly late fall day. Mr. Smith was consoled in the fact that once out of the bouncy, shockless Rover they would have to communicate with him… at least a little. He was starting to think he had in fact made a mistake by answering Marcus. He hadn't really even thought about his answer until now. Marcus asked them to go and he was told to go by his inner voice, the voice of GOD. He knew better than to look at the two with him and tell them that "GOD told me too." He was already in enough trouble for not asking them first but how many times had he not been given a choice in where they went or what they did.

The truck halted and then stopped momentarily at the side of the road. Kurdy then shifted in his seat and backed the Rover effortlessly into a thicket to hide the uncommon vehicle. He then threw the glorified truck into park and climbed out. Kurdy looked around slowly making out the world around as the sky began to darken. He then slammed the door closed while making his way to the front waiting for Jeremiah and Mr. Smith to join him.

"I say we call it a night and camp here." Kurdy suggested slowly.

"I agree, the sky's getting dark and I'm ready to walk around for a while. I can't feel my ass." Jeremiah responded shaking his legs and arms out as he looked over at Kurdy.

"We're probably a few miles out of Bailey." Mr. Smith suggested throwing his olive green back pack on the front of the Rover.

"Great. Smith… you can cover the Rover while Jeremiah and I scrounge up some food and a fire." Kurdy advised.

"Wonderful…" Mr. Smith replied unhappily surveying the front of the truck.

_This think is freaking huge! _

Mr. Smith surveyed the front of the truck and then walked around to the back pulling the tattered camouflaged canvas from the back of the truck. He then began to fumble with it as he slid it across the top and then over the vehicle. It only took him a little while before he had covered it with the canvas. He then began to survey the area for loose branches or something small he could use to cover the front of the vehicle to make it a little less obvious from the road and sky.

--

"Smith… what is GOD telling you about this?" Jeremiah asked almost sarcastically.

"About what." The smooth faced Mr. Smith responded looking up from his thoughts.

"About this whole trip. I assume that since you jumped all over going that your GOD told you to go?" Jeremiah's words were almost mocking as he tossed a small twig effortlessly into the dancing flames. The tone of his friend's voice was almost cold as Mr. Smith lifted his head. His green eyes reflecting the torment he carried in his heart.

_What they don't know… _Mr. Smith furrowed his eyebrows as he shifted his gaze from Jeremiah's stare to Kurdy almost laughing at the cruel dig. _Tears… no tears…_ He thought to himself. _If they only knew…_ After all he had been beaten up by people less important to him for his unsolicited messages. _I don't want this! Why am I the one carrying this burden? _

"You know what Jeremiah…" Mr. Smith shouted jumping to his feet. His small stocky frame cast a giant sized shadow of himself on the trees behind him. "You haven't got a fucking clue what I was told. You know what else… you two volunteer us… _all _of us for missions without running them by me first. Do I complain? NO! I go. I go for the good of all of us. So fuck you for having a bad day and fuck you for having plans that I obviously ruined."

"Hey Smith… calm down… We're just giving you a hard time." Kurdy stood up grasping the smaller man by the shoulder.

The mostly calm Mr. Smith turned shoved Kurdy's hand from his rigid shoulder his normally calm eyes shimmered with anguish and frustration. The two men watched helplessly as the smaller man ran off into the darkened forest leaving his belongings at the campsite.

"Hey Smith… come on man…" Jeremiah jumped up from his place in front of the fire. He suddenly realized the impact of his and Kurdy's silent treatment and constant ridicule. He just couldn't understand why Mr. Smith was suddenly so upset over the jokes and ribbing he and Kurdy had put him through. They never though about what they put him through. "Kurdy… should we go after him?" Jeremiah gesturing in the direction of the blackened forest; his voice suddenly very concerned.

"Let'em go man." Kurdy put a hand on Jermiah's shoulder offering him reassurance. "I've known him a while now and he just needs some space." Kurdy and Jeremiah watched the wooded area with concern as their friend disappeared through the darkness. Kurdy took in a deep breath as he got a bad feeling about why they were here.

--

_Tears… I haven't cried in so long. Why now! Jeremiah and Kurdy are just having a bad day… they didn't really want to stay in the woods right now. Who could blame'em its cold tonight? Hell, I'm cold. But GOD, you said "GO!" Far be it for me to question the word of GOD. It had saved my life, Kurdy's life, Jeremiah's life. It had saved us all from the evils of Valhalla Sector. Why had it hurt so badly when Jeremiah had begun to ridicule me again? I do hear him… my daughter, Rose, she hears him. Of course she always refers to him as the voice, but she can hear him too. GOD Rose… to just hold her in my arms right now would mean so much to me at this moment. Her gentle, unscathed view of life and the world was preserved to perfectly at in the protection of that house so far from here. _

"I miss you little Rose…"

Mr. Smith wiped the tears from his eyes sniffling as he looked up at the sky. He watched the stars as they twinkled, dancing carelessly in the distance. He ran his hand over his nose again as he realized a tissue would have been helpful right now. The sound of a twig brought him back to the reality and blackness around him.

_Great… Jeremiah and Kurdy out to give me a hard time again!_

"Jeremiah… Kurdy…"

There was no response to his questioning.

"Jeremiah… Kurdy…"

There was a wrestling in the bush neared to him as he turned to look at what was making all the noise. He watched as a raccoon poked his nose out at him and then pulled it back into its safe haven for protection.

"Hello to you too." He sarcastically commented

He heard a small cry to his right as he turned his head back. _Who was that?_ The child like noise started again and this time it was accompanied by a voice.

"Please… I didn't mean too… OUCH! Please… NO!"

The voice was desperate and was definitely a young child's. Mr. Smith was sure it was a small girl as he quickly made his way towards the voice. She didn't sound much older than his Rose. She was crying now and there was an occasional scream when he saw her.

Her matted hair, her tear stained face. She lay on the cold ground. Her filthy clothing hung in rags barely covering her tiny frame. There was a rope around her midsection and then tied to a tree. She was crying holding her grimy hand over her mouth and nose. Mr. Smith halted his hands out to the sides when she sat straight up. She sniffled lightly slowly taking her hand from her nose to reveal blood. Her eye glistened with tears as she never took her eyes off of the stranger in front of her.

"Are… you… the angel?" She stammered.

Mr. Smith's jaw dropped as her words touched his ears. _An angel… shit… Jeremiah and Kurdy would die if they heard this one._

"GOD said you'd come. Are you the angel?" She asked again another tear sliding down her face as she continued to wipe the blood from her nose.

Mr. Smith felt his lip begin to quiver as he realized she was the reason he had been told to come. She was so young… too young to be so abused. His eyes softened as he took another small step towards her.

"My name is Mr. Smith… I'm not an angel… but I'm here to help." He answered softly as he came closer to the young girl his heart breaking with each step.

The girl coughed as Mr. Smith reached her side. Tenderly the kindhearted man reached his hand up and wiped the tears from her soft filthy cheek.

"What's your name?" He asked softly.

"Lilly." She whispered letting out another cough.

Mr. Smith swallowed hard as he looked at her face glowing in the cold moonlight. In the distance he could here the voices and laughter of people. He could smell the smoke from their fire. His stomach growled at the scent of meat roasting over an open flame.

"Lilly… I'm gonna get you out of here." He affirmed calmly untangling the knot of rope holding her in place. He watched her let out a breath as the tight bond holding her from leaving was released. Gingerly she rubbed her aching chest with her filthy hand. Mr. Smith tried to force a smile but then quietly asked "Who did this to you?"

"I did." The voice was low and cold.

Mr. Smith swallowed hard and looked up at towards the heavens. Slowly he turned his head and rose to his feet. Their eyes connected coldly. He was tall, very tall. His broad shoulders almost shut the light from the moon out. The bigger man raised en eyebrow at the smaller man in front of him. Mr. Smith took a deep breath as he shielded the small child behind him.

"It's called discipline." He declared as he took a menacing step towards the smaller Mr. Smith.

"It's called… abuse." Mr. Smith corrected taking a step towards the much bigger man.

Behind him Mr. Smith could hear the quickened hitch of the small child's breathing. It was apparent she was terrified of the man. She whimpered as the considerably bigger man took a step towards her angel. Mr. Smith turned his head to see her covering her face and shrinking into the ground. She was cowering in fear at this beast of a human.

"You're** not** gonna touch her again." Mr. Smith threatened as he turned his attention back to the hulk in front of him.

A cold smirk danced across his face as three more people showed up behind him. It hadn't dawned on Mr. Smith that he was in trouble until it was all together too late.

"Hey Rex… want me to take care of the elf here?" The man in the back jibed.

"Nah… he questioned me on how I discipline my help and I want to show him what the differences between the two are." Rex replied coldly a sinister look dancing within his dark eyes.

Mr. Smith feeling suddenly alone glanced to his right and left and then back at the man standing like a dragon ready to attack over him. _Oh crap…_

--

The first blow landed hard on the right side of his face. Rex effortlessly grasped Mr. Smith by the hair and slammed his face into what felt like his solid steel knee. Mr. Smith let out a gasp as he toppled to the ground. The right side of his face exploded with pings of pain accompanied by twinkling lights all around. The world looked off kilter and fuzzy as he was drug back to his feet for more.

"You want more Shorty!"

The words sounded like they came from a world somewhere outside his world. The voices were muffled, like before the Big Death a radio used to sound when someone played it loudly in a car. He grabbed his head on each side of his temples holding tightly in hopes of stopping his brain from exploding through the sides. The next hit landed on the right side of his rib cage dropping him flat to the ground again. His breath was ragged and shallow as he rolled onto his stomach clutching his cracked ribs in his hands. HE hadn't even gotten in one good hit as he pulled himself to his knees. He watched as young, innocent Lilly's eyes flooded with tears. She bit her lip, wiping the blood from her nose again. Her jaw quivered as she watched the expression of pain spread across his face.

"Go…" Mr. Smith whispered between his teeth as a foot slammed mercilessly into his side. Lilly watched the crowd swarm around the man struggling on the ground. "GO!" He shouted as a spatter of blood sprayed from his lips; his face contorted as he received another brutalizing slam onto his body. Fortunately nobody noticed the little girl slipping away.

--

Lilly slipped quietly under the brush as the mob continued to brutalize their victim. She watched him as he took hit after hit to his body. She closed her eyes as a tear droplet fell from her cheek to the ground. She cried harder as she watched him struggling to cover his face and his torso from the rain of debilitating kicks and blows. She wiped the tears away as she slipped further into the brush and then into dark forest for the night.

**Please read and review... Thanks again for reading and reviewing!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Same as before... Lilly has a rough begining and remembers what happened to her. It is dark but I am proud of it. Please read and review... tell me what you think. I am really loving writing this so hang on for updates and I really think I need to get back to Jump Street and let end the other stories soon... LOL!**

**Anywho, thanks for reading... please review... even if it is to say you hate it. It is still something. Thanks again!**

**Chapter 3**

Dark… it was so dark, but the pain… intensity… it hurt all over. He hurt all over. His head felt like it could explode. Tiny pins pricking and poking at his battered face from the inside. They were cruel as they continued to assault him. They never seemed to stop. They just continued to push and poke, piercing with their miniscule, sharp tips deep into the flesh of his face, head, arms, wrists. His chest and ribs… they were different… broken. Like a sledge hammer to an unwanted brick wall. Pounding away at the surface until it lay crumbled and broken. Like being chipped away into tiny jagged unwanted pieces to be discarded at anyone's earliest convenience. He felt like he was falling apart. Broken into minuscule insignificant pieces… like Humpty Dumpty… HAHA! That's funny;

_Mr. Humpty Smithy sat on a wall…_

_Mr. Smithy had a great fall._

_All of Thunder Mountain _

_Won't be able to put him back together again…_

The smallest breath brought agony to his body. Mr. Smith opened his eyes slightly. He started to shift himself to the side. His arms were asleep. They were pinned tightly behind his back. He tried to flex his wrists but nothing. He could hardly feel them due to the ropes tied so tightly wrapped around them. He groaned as he tried to lift his face from the ground but a gag had been shoved into his mouth preventing any of the pained noise to escape.

_Oh GOD! _

Mr. Smith closed his eyes again as the pounding in his head began again. He was aware of the fact he wasn't alone; there were voices around him.

"Rex is gonna use this one for fun."

"Yeah… he really pissed Rex off letting the little girl run."

"Big mistake. I'm not sure he's gonna kill him too quickly either. I think he's gonna take Shorty here apart one piece at a time."

"He's moving."

"Maybe he's waking up."

"Should we get Rex?"

"No. He didn't want disturbed."

"Lets check him out."

Mr. Smith heard their feet as they shuffled closer to him. He felt the hard steel toe of a boot as it kicked him in the back of his right leg. He groaned lightly again as the sudden movement shifted him igniting a fire in his leg. There must have been a bruise there because it felt like flames jumping across his muscles. He felt two sets of hand pull him to his feet. This time the muffled groan could be heard loudly through the cloth that had been pushed between his teeth and tied off behind his head.

Mr. Smith felt like he could be sick at any moment. The sudden movement was almost more than his body could handle at this moment. His knees turned to jell-o as he collapsed against one of the men holding him up. The other pulled the gag from his lips, slapping his face in an cruel effort to keep their victim conscious. The other holding him up snaked his arm around the smaller mans neck pulling him back to his feet.

"Oh…" Mr. Smith's voice was so small. His mouth was so dry from the gag that he felt like he had been eating a mouthful of dirt. The pain through his body was overwhelmingly evident in his voice.

"What's the matter Shorty… was last night too much for you?" The man holding him on his feet sneered.

Smith's head lowered to his chest as he fought to stay awake. The pain in his ribs was almost too much for him to bare with the pounding in his head and the two goons taunting him. He felt his eyes close again as someone pressed something cold to his forehead. The click of the hammer brought Mr. Smith's eyes open again and stopped the air in his chest. He tried to struggle but couldn't find the strength to fight back. He was dead... well not yet but he was going to be. He had run out on Jeremiah and Kurdy, helped a little girl… a precious little girl who had reminded him too much of his little Rose. Rose… his little angel on earth… he would die and never see her face again. There would be no one to tell her of her father's fate. No one at the mountain knew about her…

"Let him go."

The two men stopped as Mr. Smith closed his eyes again to the blinding pain coursing through his head. He had felt the fluid start to rise in the back of his throat. He tried to stop it. He tried so hard to stop the foul fluid as it pushed itself up his esophagus. It burned the whole way as it violently erupted from his lips. He hadn't eaten anything in a while so there wasn't much to bring up but the brutal bile and blood. Painfully he was dropped onto his knees as the two who had been toying with him realized what was happening. There was nothing to support him as he dropped, bending forward to release the liquid to the earth. The fluid fell onto his dirty blood stained trousers and shirt before hitting the ground. It was soon followed by empty dry heaves. They pushed and shoved trying to shoot his insides out of his mouth. He heaved heavily and finally they began to relent. It was then he realized his heavy winter coat was gone. He had been cold before but just too out of it to notice his coat was missing. It didn't take long before he was completely finished and ready to drop. His head felt like it was swimming as he tried to hold himself up. He slowly looked up to the three men standing over him. Inside he wished someone would end his suffering or show him some compassion and help him. He winced from the brutal backlash his body had punished him with. His face was aglow with perspiration dripping along his cheeks and temples mingling with the blood and grime covering his visage. Involuntary tears streamed down his cheeks as the morning sunlight cut across his face before his eyes closed and he fell to the ground unconscious again.

--

Kurdy looked over at where the fire had once burned happily the evening before. The red hot embers still glowed, but the leaping and crackling of flames were long gone. He ran a hand along his chin while looking around the campsite. He thought long and hard about a hot cup of coffee. He noted Jeremiah still sleeping across the glowing coals from him. His head resting comfortably on a baseball glove, it was very likely he was also using the baseball for a head rest. His eyes then crossed over to where Mr. Smith should have been sleeping. Should have been…

"Oh shit! Jeremiah…"

Jeremiah sat bolt upright. He looked at Kurdy wiping the sleep from his eyes. His five o'clock shadow was starting to look more like the start of a grizzled beard on his chin. Blinking his deep brown eyes Jeremiah surveyed the scene around him as he looked back at Kurdy.

"He didn't come back."

Jeremiah felt the same fear that Kurdy had. They were close enough to the place where the murders and disappearances had taken place that they could have gotten Mr. Smith. He felt his stomach rising to his throat as the color drained from his tired face…"They got him."

Jeremiah and Kurdy scrambled to get their stuff together and finish extinguishing the fire. They dropped Mr. Smith's back pack in the Rover and scrambled into the woods to find their missing friend.

--

The wind blew through her matted blond hair as Lilly opened her eyes slowly. She was tired. He little body ached all over. She had almost forgotten where she was as she opened her bright brown eyes. Sitting up she wiped the sleep from her eyes. She then ran her hand gently across her nose making sure it wasn't bleeding again. She sucked a deep breath in through her teeth as her fingers brushed over a deep purple bruise across her cheek. She furrowed her brow as she looked around at the forest. Her eyes came to rest on the tattered remains of a brilliant purple scarf. Her eyes sloped downward as visions of an attack began to creep up on her.

"Mommy…"

She leaned forward and picked up the long frayed scarf rubbing it against her face. She felt the weathered softness of the yarn against her skin. Her mother had worn this scarf… that day. Lilly had thought everything from then was gone. Her fathers watch, her mothers necklace. All had been stolen for trade or the greed of… them. They had killed her mother and father and taken her. She was told if she was good they might let her go later. She had tried to be good. She had done everything Rex had told her to do and he still hit her. He would hit her so hard. Then that night... last night the angle came to save her. He had saved her from Rex but where was the angel. Rex had hurt him.

Lilly plucked the leaves from the scarf and then wrapped it around her neck for the little warmth it would offer. She gingerly rubbed the spot on her chest where the rope had bruised her. She let out another cough as she spotted two men rounding the corner and starring straight towards her.

--

Fear gripped Lilly as the two men stopped dead in their tracks.

"Oh my GOD." Jeremiah squeaked as he made eye contact with the child.

"Jeremiah it's… a little girl." Kurdy whispered. "Do you think she saw Smith?"

"I don't know." Jeremiah's heart broke as he sized her up and down. She was small. Her clothing hung in tatters around her. Her bright purple scarf hung from her neck to the earthen floor. Her eyes were so frightened. She frowned at the sight of the men while furrowing her brow, her little rose colored bottom lip poking out. She looked like she was being punished by the way her features expressed sadness and fear. She backed tightly against the tree behind her.

"Stay here." Jeremiah whispered to Kurdy.

"Maybe…"

"Kurdy… she's a scared little girl. Just stay here until I know she's gonna talk to us." Jeremiah whispered back.

Jeremiah patted Kurdy on the back as he approached the little girl digging deep into his pocket. He pulled out a piece of candy a young girl had given him back at Thunder Mountain for teaching her how to tie her shoes. He looked down at the hand made sweet wrapped in cellophane to protect it. Bits of white powdered sugar fell to the ground as he unwrapped it placed it in his hand for the little girl.

"Can you help us?" Jeremiah asked as he squatted down in front of her.

Lilly continued to watch in fear as Jeremiah soon sat down on the ground. He crossed his legs Indian style and smiled warmly at her. The little girl blinked her wide brown eyes as Jeremiah held out the piece of hard candy.

Kurdy squatted down behind Jeremiah and watched his partner with the small child. His first thought was how amazingly his friend dealt with little children. They seemed so important to him. His eyes then turned to the tormented, painfully shy little girl. He couldn't help but notice the blood streak on her face. She was skinny but pretty. Her eyes were so stressed and tired. She had already seen so much… too much.

"What's your name?" Jeremiah asked softly.

Lilly looked down at the candy in Jeremiah's hand. She looked so much like she wanted to reach across and snatch the sweet from his hand. She looked up again at Jeremiah and then back at Kurdy behind him. For a painstaking minute her eyes bounced from his hand and the candy to the men in front of her.

"It's alright." Jeremiah cooed as he watched her inner struggle.

_What has she been through?"_

Lilly swallowed hard as her little fingers reached across the divide between her and Jeremiah. He gaze was now fully on the piece of candy in his hand. The rumble in his stomach was a reminder that she hadn't eaten in the better part of a day. Her fingers were dirt covered and blood stained. She had calluses and on her fingers along with tiny cuts. Jeremiah's heart sank as he looked at her hand and waited patiently for her to take his offering.

Lilly took the candy gently from his hand. She looked at it. It was red… it almost resembled stained glass if not for the powdered sugar used to keep it from sticking to its wrapping. She put the small portion of candy into her mouth letting the sticky sweetness dissolve on her tongue. It was strange but tasty to her. Her expression warmed as she crunched the hard surface between her teeth and then swallowed the sweetie.

"Thank you." She whispered to Jeremiah.

"You're welcome." He smiled back.

--

"We're looking for a friend of ours." Jeremiah began softly. "He had a dark green… well almost brown coat on. He's short… I mean… shorter than me. He has dark curly hair and green…"

"Rex hurt the angel." She said softly as she looked squarely at Jeremiah.

Jeremiah wrinkled his nose as he looked back at Kurdy.

"Angel…" Kurdy wrinkled his brow.

"Rex… the angel came to get me. GOD promised me the angel would get me. Rex hurt him for getting me. He told me he wasn't an angel… but he would help me." She answered softly another tear sliding down her face. "He was really nice."

Jeremiah licked his lips as he watched her face. He watched her as she coughed a little more and wiped her swollen nose with her tattered sleeve. A trickled of blood came from it. Kurdy handed Jeremiah a handkerchief.

"Thanks…" Jeremiah sat forward reaching a hand out towards the little girl who instantly recoiled. "It's okay. You're bleeding. I wanna help you." He gently reached out again. This time he crawled slowly over to the little girl. This time she let him gently wipe the blood away. It took only a few seconds for the bleeding to stop. That was when the tears came.

"Hey…" Kurdy crawled over to her this time. His eyes softened to her falling tears. The two men sat comforting a young girl taking turns dabbing her tears and rubbing her back.

It was between hic-ups she told the story of her mother, father, the bad men and the angel… Mr. Smith.

**Thanks again... now please! Do your part! **


	4. Chapter 4

**THANK YOU! HAPPY THANKSGIVING! ENJOY YOUR TURKEY:-)**

**Chapter 4**

Kurdy and Jeremiah shared some of their rations with Lilly. She devoured the food like she hadn't eaten in days. Jeremiah watched her tare through hunks of bread like a ravenous animal. He smiled at Lilly as he laid his bread back down on a brownbag and handed the bag to the little girl. Lilly looked up at Jeremiah swallowing the mouthful of food down. She stopped and looked shamefully down at the ground. She drew her arms into herself and then sat them in her lap continuing to shrivel in near fear.

"You okay?" Jeremiah asked quietly.

"I-I'm sorry…" a tear slid down Lilly downcast face.

"Why pretty girl?" Kurdy asked softly.

"I… I ate… too much…" her brow furrowed as she quickly wiped the tears from her face.

Jeremiah and Kurdy both looked at each other dumbfounded at what she had just said. Jeremiah licked his lips as he shook his head.

"No… Lilly…" he reached out and cupped her chin in the palm of his hand. "You eat all you want. Kurdy and me… were done. You have ours. We'll get more later." Jeremiah shot Kurdy a look. The bigger man looked at the piece of bread in his hand and laid it down on the paper it was wrapped in.

"Yeah… I'm done. I don't want it to go to waste so you eat it." He handed her the paper wrapped morsels. He offered her a gentle smile as she slowly reached up and took the bread from her new friends.

--

It wasn't long before the small child was drifting off into sleep her head lying heavily on Kurdy's big chest. Kurdy looked nervously at Jeremiah who raised an eyebrow at the big man.

"You're a natural." Jeremiah whispered.

"What do we do next?" Kurdy whispered back while continuing to rub the sleeping girls boney back.

Jeremiah licked his lips as he glanced nervously around the wooded area. He hadn't thought about what to do if finding an abused little girl in the woods. He turned his gaze back down at the sleeping child. She looked peaceful. Her tiny hands clasped tightly together under her head resting comfortably on Kurdy's solid chest. Her little chest rose and fell with each breath. She slept like she had not slept in days. Jeremiah picked up the end of her scarf and flipped the dirty, rough material in his hands and then lay it back down. "Stay with her. I'm gonna scout ahead and see if I can find Smith." He answered in a low voice.

Jeremiah ran his hand over the little girl's fragile face. She was so young. His eyes lingered momentarily on the darkening bruise on her cheek. She yawned quietly and then opened her eyes slightly. She blinked and then slowly closed her eyes again. Her head shifted on Kurdy's chest and she was soon gently snoozing again.

"Jeremiah!" Kurdy tried his best to shout quietly. Jeremiah shot him a quick finger to his lips signaling for him to be quiet.

"What?" Jeremiah whispered loudly.

"Kurdy licked his lips and then spoke. "Watch yourself… I don't need to rescue you too."

Jeremiah raised his eyebrow and then turned quickly running back into the thicket of the woods.

--

He felt like his head was going to blow off his shoulders. It was sharp shooting pain that continued to radiate down the side of his face, across the temples on his forehead every time he opened his eyes. Whenever a word was spoken around him at any decibel it felt like something would explode and shoot out of his ears. He closed his eyes tightly as the pain intensified behind his eyes. He tried to take a deep breath but that cost him as well. He winced as he felt his ribs grate against the pressure of two different ropes cutting into his chest and stomach. He was cold, sore, and hungry. His stomach rumbled as he smelled the food only he thought he would be sick if he had to smell the unwanted parts of the venison continue to char over the fire pit.

"Hey Shorty." The harsh voice was accompanied by a vicious kick to his right knee.

"Ugggh!" Mr. Smith hissed through the gag shoved between his teeth.

"Ahhh… did that hurt?" Rex jibed.

Mr. Smith slowly lifted his head to make eye contact with Rex. It hurt to move only the few inches he had. His bloodshot crimson red eyes caught Rex's boiling hateful stare. He tried to burn his captor with his look but only made himself sicker through the smallest movement.

"Shit…" Rex squatted down in front of Mr. Smith lifting his chin higher to connect eyes. Mr. Smith tried to fight the large calloused hand squeezing tightly at his chin. He pulled the gag from Mr. Smith's lips. He patted him on the cheek with his free hand while continuing to gloat in front of him.

"Why… don't you… just kill… me?" Mr. Smith asked between gasps and dry coughs.

Rex snorted and then released Mr. Smith's face by shoving his head back against the tree being used to anchor him in place. Smith closed his eyes tightly at the force of the impact. He gasped loudly at the continued sharp pain behind his eyes and in the back of his pounding head. His ear began to ring as Rex watched him closely. He had said something to him but Mr. Smith had been struggling to keep his eyes open past the continued hum in his ears and wasn't able to make out the words his captor was saying.

"… water?" Rex concluded snapping his fingers of his right hand.

A young woman ran forward to him carrying a cup in her hands. She quickly handed the cup over to Rex who lifted it to his own lips taking a sip. Mr. Smith watched the cup as Rex tilted it again to his own lips. He swallowed the cold, clear liquid and let out a sigh.

"Refreshing… you know that is probably the best I've ever had. Brisk, wet, cold… why water is so good for you. I think they said that our bodies are what… seventy-five percent water? I bet you're pretty thirsty?" Rex confirmed.

Mr. Smith stared blankly back at Rex. He held the glass firmly between his fingers. He tilted it back to his own lips. Smith licked his own parched lips and swallowed. IT was hard to swallow. His throat was ablaze. He felt like he had been eating sand from the dirty gag that had been in his mouth for so long. His tongue felt swollen as he tried to talk.

"Please…" Smith asked quietly.

"Sure… let me help you." Rex leaned forward and started to put the glass to Mr. Smith's cracked lips.

Mr. Smith felt the rigid edge of the plastic cup touch his parched lips the remnants of liquid sticking to the surface and then he stopped.

"Oh… crap. Look at this. I drank the last of it. How rude of me. Sorry." He took the gag hanging limply around Mr. Smith's neck and forcefully shoved it back into his captive's dry mouth. The trick brought about a round of laughter from behind Rex. Mr. Smith closed his eyes in shattered defeat. He bit down on the cold damp cloth in his mouth.

_Why would anyone do that?_

With these people the games and mistreatment never seemed to stop.

--

Jeremiah watched the scene the whole way through. He was behind a tree close enough that he could hear the laughter and name calling from the people as they tortured Mr. Smith for fun. He could hear the cough and groans as Mr. Smith struggled to stay conscious. His heart sank as he noted Smith's ripped flannel shirt and blood stained t-shit. Jeremiah watched and waited for the crowds to gather in their tents for food as the sky started to reach a late noon hour. He crept closer to the tree Mr. Smith was still attached to. He peaked around the large trunk and pulled a plastic bottle of water from his pocket. He had just filled it up at the river earlier that day. He shoved the bottle back into his packet before deciding he was getting Smith now. He crept closer and was soon squatting behind the tree that Smith was bound to. He then pulled his own knife from his pocket and slashed the two sets of ropes freeing Mr. Smith's upper body.

The badly beaten Smith let out a muffled gasp as he felt the constricting bonds release. He sank slowly towards Jeremiah who caught him before he could hit the ground completely. He gently set Mr. Smith up next to the tree and slowly moved to the other side giving Mr. Smith a "Shhh" as a sign to be quiet. He then gently pulled the cloth gag out of the others mouth. Mr. Smith blinked his eyes heavily as he nodded in acknowledgment. Jeremiah then circled back behind his friend and cut the ropes from his wrists. Mr. Smith then let out another heavy gasp as his he brought his hands shakily back to his front.

"Oh GOD…" Mr. Smith sighed heavily as Jeremiah started to pull him to his feet.

"You okay Smith?" He asked quietly.

"You… have no clue how… good this feels." Mr. Smith responded. He clinched his teeth together as his legs began to buckle and his head started to spin. He closed his eyes as the humming in his ears began to get louder. He fumbled for a grip at Jeremiah's jacket collar but his hands were too weak from lack of circulation to hang on.

"No… you can't pass out on me now." Jeremiah pleaded pulling Mr. Smith tightly into his own body. He patted the quickly failing Mr. Smith gently on his right cheek.

Mr. Smith laid his head heavily on Jeremiah's chest as he felt his strength starting to fade. He could hear Jeremiah's words but the humming in his ears and the pain in his chest coupled with the lack of food and water that day was becoming all together too much for him. The two sank to the ground as Mr. Smith began to shake from cold and exhaustion. An explosion of coughs came from his cracked lips.

"Shit Jeremiah… I thought you were gonna find him and come get me."

Kurdy's words and presence lit a fire under Jeremiah as the two quickly hauled the nearly unconscious Mr. Smith to his feet.

"Is the angel alright?" Lilly asked as Kurdy shoved the little girl ahead of the two of them.

"Yeah… the angel's just sleeping." Kurdy announced as he and Jeremiah dragged their friend along.

--

Mr. Smith could fell his feet hit the ground once in a while. He could feel the solid ground brush against the soles of his feet as he struggled to lift them and put them down. He felt like he was floating and his head wasn't having any part of that. He could feel his stomach start to churn and constrict. He fought for breath as he was pulled along by Jeremiah and Kurdy. The pain brought an agonizing groan from Smith and they all stopped as he Smith involuntarily doubled over and collapsed to the ground on his hands and knees.

There was nothing in his stomach to bring up. He shook and pushed, coughing and heaving through the motions of vomiting. He held his stomach through the violent pounding. Kurdy stood watch on Jeremiah kept a hold of Smith shoulders while he fought to bring up nothing. His body was soon satisfied with the fact that he was empty and not going to push anything out that it finally relented. Smith struggled to breathe through the pain in his sides only to collapse on his right side clutching his stomach.

Kurdy and Lilly rushed to his other side. Lilly stood next to Kurdy her brown eyes filled with tears as her angel struggled with agonizing torture brought on by the violent assault he had gone through to free her. Kurdy lifted Mr. Smith until his head lay in the pocket of his shoulder. Jeremiah sat on the other side holding the bottle of water in his hands.

"Open your eyes buddy." Kurdy pleaded wiping the beads of perspiration from his grimy forehead.

Mr. Smith let out a shallow cough as if responding to Kurdy's plea. He then slowly opened his eyes. He struggled to keep them open as he reached his shaky hand up to take hold of the precious bottle Jeremiah held in his hands. His fingers were drawn up as he instantly dropped the bottle. He let out a sudden hiss of pain as he released the bottle from his shaking fingers spilling the liquid all over him. Jeremiah quickly took the bottle in his own hands and helped tip the remaining contents to the wounded mans lips.

The first gulp resulted in an instant kickback. He nearly choked on the liquid spitting up and then back out. He was so thirsty that nobody had thought about him struggling with the liquid. He coughed and tried to sit up at the same time. Kurdy wrapped his forearm around his chest and held him close while Jeremiah laid a calming hand on his shoulder.

"S-Sorry…" Mr. Smith winced as a single tear gliding across his filthy discolored cheek.

"Shhhh… calm down Smith…" Jeremiah soothed as he helped him to take a second sip from the bottle. "Slow…"

Mr. Smith slowly drank from the bottle and then stopped when it was pulled from his lips. He closed his eyes as Lilly knelt down and gently laid her hand on his forehead. Mr. Smith slowly opened his eyes to the gentle soft handed touch.

"Lilly…" he whispered. A slow smile spread across her face. Her brown eyes sparkled as a tear ran down her cheek. With a shaking hand he reached up and gently wiped the tear from her cheek "You're… safe."

--

The almost mob sound of voices brought Jeremiah and Kurdy back to the realization that they needed to get to the Rover. They were a long ways from safety.

"We gotta move." Jeremiah announced.

"You think you can walk?" Kurdy asked pulling him to his feet not waiting for a response.

"Oh GOD…" Mr. Smith cried aloud as the pressure on his chest intensified. The simple act of pulling his arms around their shoulder elicited an anguished groan.

"Can you do this?" Jeremiah asked as Smith's head fell forward to his chest.

"Yeah…" he responded breathlessly.

"You sure?" Jeremiah asked cautiously as he wrapped his free hand around Mr. Smith's waist.

Mr. Smith swallowed hard as he answered.

_Not really…_

"Yeah…" he panted.

"Good…" Kurdy exploded as shots rang out from behind them.

"AHHHHH!"

**Please read and review...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for all the reviews... Hope you all had a great holiday!**

**Chapter 5**

"Holy Shit!"

Jeremiah was on the ground clutching his right arm blood seeping slowly between his fingers. He clinched his teeth tightly as he sat up. He took a deep breath through his gaping mouth. He looked almost surprised as Kurdy stood over top if him holding Mr. Smith up. The smaller man had laid his head on Kurdy's shoulder while clutching his ribs with his free arm. His body sagged as Kurdy pulled him closer in an effort to keep him on his feet.

"Jeremiah…" Kurdy stared wide eyed at him.

"I think he just winged me…" Jeremiah stated struggling to his feet as the voices continued to get closer. They were in trouble and still had a lot of ground to cover before they reached the rover.

"We have to go Jeremiah." Kurdy announced.

"Leave me… get Lilly… out of here." Mr. Smith whispered as loud as he could. The words nearly doubled him over as he began to cough violently.

"Shit! Smith… and get your GOD mad at me. Fuck that!" Jeremiah snapped.

"He's right." Kurdy interjected.

"What?" Jeremiah shouted as another bullet screamed by and slammed into a nearby tree.

"We're gonna have to split up if we're gonna make it. You take Lilly and get to the Rover. I'm taking Smith and were gonna head towards the main road and lose'em."

"Kurdy no!" Jeremiah shouted his eyes jutting between Kurdy and the rapidly fading Smith. "Smith'll never make it!"

"Yes… you have to. Get to the Rover and radio for help, and then get the hell out of here. Were about three hours from the mountain; faster by chopper! Now he's in worse shape than he was when Simms boys got a hold of him. I don't even want to think of what they'll do to that little girl if they get their hands on her again. We don't have a chance together. When you get a hold of Marcus you tell him to wipe them out. I don't care if you know where we are or not. You here… Wipe them out! Now go! GO!"

Jeremiah scrambled to his feet still protesting on the inside. He gathered Lilly in his arms letting out a hiss of pain between his teeth. His arm burned from the sudden and strenuous movement as it continued to leak his crimson life force all over his deep green sleeve. He noted the look of shock in Lilly's eyes as they started to turn from Kurdy and Mr. Smith. Jeremiah had to admit to himself that Smith looked bad… really bad. He wondered to himself how the man was still standing at all.

"No… please… the angel…" Lilly began to scream and cry as Jeremiah held her tightly in his arms around her, cradling her in his grip. He took one look back at Mr. Smith who turned his gaze up slowly from the ground. A trickle of blood leaked down from the gash on the side of his head. Jeremiah thought again of the possibility of a concussion. That would explain why he looked so tired and he was complaining of a constant headache. Mr. Smith's battered face carried the marks of a serious beating. His fever stricken eyes were rimmed in cherry red. He blinked as he reached out touching her hand lightly with his own.

"It's okay… Lilly. We'll be alright… GOD…" he didn't have time to finish before Kurdy readjusted his arm around Mr. Smith's waist and pulled tighter on the one around the back of his neck. The sudden movement brought a gasp and an involuntary yelp of discomfort and anguish.

"Come on Smith." Kurdy shouted turning his back on the little girl and his best friend.

--

Mr. Smith and Kurdy moved painfully slow as they heard the voices behind them. There didn't sound like near as many. In fact it got quiet as if there was nobody looking for them. The silence was almost as deafening as the voices had been loud. The sky was getting dark which had to be to only reason it had gotten so quiet. The forest was like a maze of dark tunnels after the sun went down. As the sky grew even darker Kurdy realized Smith wasn't going to make it much longer and looking for shelter was going to be an unattainable wish as there weren't good odds for that either.

Kurdy himself was starting to fall apart. His strength was beginning to wane. He had been nearly carrying Smith who was drifting between soft whimpering moans and grunts of sheer agony. Kurdy felt his body burning from the punishment of supporting the two of them. He could feel the perspiration dripping from his ebony skin as he continued to trudge forward. He heard a noise behind him and looked up only to have a stump trip the two of them up. Kurdy fell to the ground with Mr. Smith the two men landing with a thump and then a sickening crack.

"OHHH… please… no more"

"Smith what… are you…"

Mr. Smith clutched his right side and began to cough forcefully. Sticky red liquid covered his fingers. He writhed painfully as Kurdy discovered he had hurt himself too.

"Mother… damn ankle…" Kurdy cursed loudly.

Kurdy crawled over to where Smith was trying to sit up. He continued to grip his side tightly as Kurdy wrapped a protective arm around his chest pulling Mr. Smith into his own chest.

"I… think it's… broke…" Smith panted as he continued to shake from the cold.

"What… what's broken Smith…" Kurdy sounded alarmed as he watched the blood oozing from Smiths side.

"Rib… AHHHHH!" He sank into Kurdy who pushed the injured man the rest of the way to the ground and fumbled with his friends tattered blood soaked t-shirt with his own icy hands.

Smith arched his back and then struggled to sit up as blood continued to ooze from under the soaked shirt. He sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth as Kurdy felt along the shirt noting a rigid bump and a tear in Smith's ragged t-shirt. Kurdy carefully lifted the injured man's shirt exposing the pale ivory skin of his chest to the chill of evening. The sun was sinking so rapidly behind the hills that it was almost too dark to see anything. In the final shadows of the light Kurdy could see it… it was right in front of him. Something had poked its way through his skin. It looked like a wooden stick had sunken itself into the tender flesh by his ribcage. It was still visible leaving Kurdy with just enough edge to pull it out. The sudden rip of the tiny wooden fragment brought a new exasperated cry from Mr. Smith.

Blood from his side now took on the dark shadowy color of black in the pale, almost blue light of dusk. Kurdy could feel it slick… sticky on his fingers. He held the dark, almost miniscule tip of wood in his fingers. He held it up to his eye level noting the size… roughly about two or three inches long. It was amazing how something so small could do so much damage. He looked across Smiths chest as it rose and fell rapidly in the dusky moonlight. Smith let his own fingers drag across the surface contaminating them with the same murky life giving blood. Kurdy threw the small wooden twig behind him as he leaned over Smith looking for his attention.

"Smith… I need to borrow that ugly flannel you have on." Kurdy tried to lighten the mood and draw his attention from the sudden pain Smith had just experienced. He calmly pulled the hard steel blade from his boot slicing the soft fabric into ribbons.

"Go… ahead…" Smith licked his lips and swallowed hard. "I needed a… new one anyways." He tried to smile only to find himself grimacing at the stabbing pain in his chest. The pain continued to make it difficult for him to breathe.

Kurdy bit his lip as he cut the shirt the rest of the way off of Smith leaving him in just his blood soaked t-shirt and jeans trying to stave off the cold that was assaulting his body. Kurdy pulled the t-shirt the rest of the way up. He watched the continuous rapid rise and fall of Mr. Smith's chest as goose bumps began to rise, rippling across his now uncomfortably chilled flesh. He swiftly balled up a ribbon of fabric and pushed it against the small opening. The pressure elicited a groan from Mr. Smith who again struggled to sit up.

"Just lay still for a second buddy…"

"Hurts…"

"I know Smith… just hang in there."

Kurdy then took what was left to the shirt and wrapped it as tightly as he could around the man's black and blue chest and tied it off at the cut. He helped Mr. Smith to pull the ragged t-shirt back down over his now crudely bandaged chest.

Kurdy looked over at Mr. Smith's face which was now contorted in tortured anguish. He had a bright sheen of perspiration which continued to glisten even in the dimly lit night. Kurdy could see his teeth as he clinched them holding back cries of pain. His eyes were closed tightly to the throbbing and discomfort plaguing him.

"We have to move Smith. Are you okay?"

Mr. Smith opened the glittering polls that were his eyes. Kurdy could see the suffering contained with in them. He watched as Smith fought an inner battle with himself. He was in so much pain… Kurdy was asking him to endure more.

_No…Kurdy I can't I tried to tell you this earlier. You should have left me and gone with Jeremiah. If you had we wouldn't be in this. Yes they probably would have continued to beat me some more… but you… you…my friend… wouldn't be here too. _

"Okay." He answered in a quiet voice.

Kurdy turned his back to Mr. Smith and stretched his right ankle out. He rotated it around brining a smarting twinge up and down his own leg. Probably sprained…

_Jeremiah… you better get to us soon…_

He struggled to his feet and took a practice step noting the shock going through his foot. He didn't have time to think about that now. He turned and bent over Mr. Smith pulling the man to his feet.

"OHHHH…" he gasped. His legs started to give out again as Kurdy continued on his almost sadistic mission.

"Hang on Smith." Kurdy pleaded.

"I… will…" Smith swallowed hard.

"Good. I'm not ready to break in a new partner." Kurdy jested.

Mr. Smith let out a whimper as they preceded the rest of the way down the hill.

--

"Kurdy…" Mr. Smith sounded distant in his own mind. He nearly whispered everything at this point. His voice was nearly gone and it was agonizing to do anything. His arms and chest were so cold. His throat was parched. He couldn't keep a singular thought in his head. Every time he drew a breath his lungs burned and it just brought about more suffering. He could hardly lift his feet any longer. He was feeling like the butt of an incredibly cruel joke. He couldn't even hear the Voice… had GOD abandoned him? "I… can't… hurt…" he began to cough forcefully again using his free hand to clutch at his ribs in order to keep his sides from flying apart.

They had been pushing forward… hard. It had been over an hour since they had headed down an endless hill only to scale it again on the other side. The sky was black and Mr. Smith was on the verge of blacking out. He shivered next to Kurdy who had taken his flannel shirt and destroyed it to wrap his broken ribs. Kurdy had been trying to keep them moving until they could find somewhere to stop.

"Hang on… for me." Kurdy was also on the edge of dropping from exhaustion.

Kurdy stopped in the middle of a clearing the moon shinning brightly on the two men. Smith laid his head against Kurdy's chest as his legs finally gave out taking the two men to the ground.

"Holy Crap Smith!" Kurdy shouted gathering the smaller man in his arms.

Mr. Smith's battered body trembled from the frigid night air and the continued ache from his cracked and broken ribs. He wanted to get back up. To open his eyes but he just couldn't do it. Kurdy's voice got farther and farther from him. He wanted to help… he wanted to do what his friend told him to do. His body had just had enough. He had pushed until he was all push out. He was chilled and needed heat. He was starving… his head pounded mercilessly.

"So cold…" was all Mr. Smith could muster the strength to say before he was tugged into complete darkness.

"Fuck Smith… don't do this to me…" Smith's body went limp in his arms as he passed out completely.

Kurdy ripped his long leather coat off and wrapped it around the others body pulling him into his own body to try and warm him. He looked franticly from side to side for somewhere to hide with Smith. There was nothing and the air was becoming colder as the evening wore on. He finally spotted a group of pine trees close together covering the ground. He pulled Smith under the cover of a particularly large pine tree. He heaved the smaller man as close as he could to himself, Smith's back against his own chest. He wrapped both of his arms around his chest and rubbed his arms and chest vigorously paying attention not to hit his already damaged ribs to hard.

"No fire… sorry I can't do that for ya little buddy… I'm gonna get ya warmed up... okay? Just hang in there Smith. Why didn't you tell me you were freezing buddy? Come on Smith… just hang in there for me. I know Jeremiah's gonna get us help. Just hang in there… Oh GOD please… just hang in there buddy…"

Kurdy wrapped one arm around Smith's chest and ran the other hand through his light brown curls. He glided his hand across his head feeling the blistering heat from his sticky sweat covered face. Mr. Smith shifted his head to the right flinching from some unknown assailant. He let out a muffled cry as Kurdy pulled him closer. He was feeling so angry with himself for not realizing Smith couldn't possibly take on what he was asking of him. He had expected a hundred percent on top of the hundred and fifty he had taken for Lilly.

"Shhhh… just hang on Smith." Kurdy whispered softly pulling the edges of the leather jacket tighter around Smith's small fragile body.

**OK! Don't let me down. Someone once said that "Reviews are like cookies..." well they are! Please send me some cookies... I mean reaviews:-)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry it took so long on this... KellylovesDylan... here's your cupcake:-)**

**Chapter 6**

It was still practically dark when Kurdy opened his eyes. He drew in a cold deep breath and blew it back out watching the steam as it rolled across his lips. The brisk night air was trying to give way to a cool morning. He was stiff all over from the previous day's escapades. Smith was hurt and so was he. Maybe he had made the wrong decision to send Jeremiah back with Lilly? Had they gotten caught? He and Smith had lost the group following them rather quickly. They were gone almost too quickly for his own piece of mind. So many questions swirled wildly in his head. More than any other question was the one in particular that was dancing around in his mind. _Where was Jeremiah?_ Mr. Smith still lay sleeping leaning exhaustedly against Kurdy's muscular chest. Kurdy was chilled from the night but at least he had been smart enough to wear an extra hooded jersey beneath his leather jacket. The Bailey Bandits as Jeremiah had referred to them the previous night had relieved Mr. Smith of his tattered wool coat before beating him senseless. The smaller man let out a quiet moan as his head lulled to the left and then to the right. His sweat sticky forehead then came to an abrupt stop resting softly against the rough whiskers growing wildly along Kurdy's chin and jaw line. He mumbled something softly as Krudy's eyes shifted down at the muffled sound coming from Smith's lips.

"Smith… are you okay… can you hear me?" He asked softly wiping the droplets of moisture from his slimy forehead.

"Rose…" he muttered softly between his cracked and split lips. He let out another weak groan as he shifted restlessly in Smiths shielding embrace.

Kurdy wrinkled his brow as he glanced down at Mr. Smith again. His face was a battered mess of slick and crusted dried blood, dirt, with bright shiny purple and violet hued bruises. He looked so sallow and pale beneath the spatter of blood and bruises decorating his almost innocent round face.

"No… please… no more… I… I can't." Smith was shaking in his restless sleep. He let out another low soft moan as he continued to fight the fever rapidly consuming him. He tried to shift under the weight of Kurdy's heavy winter coat. His right arm lifting slightly and then falling heavily to his side

"Shhhh… Smith… please buddy… you're gonna be fine. Just hang on… Jeremiah's gonna get us outa here. Just hang on."

Kurdy could feel his own eyes starting to droop as Mr. Smith began to grow quieter again. He would occasionally shift his head listlessly as he slept; a slight whimper escaping from him. Mr. Smith was sleeping soundly while his warm breath swept gently across Kurdy's cool cheek. Kurdy slowly leaned his head back against the gnarled surface of the large sweeping pine. He let his eyes close slowly and then completely submitting to the waves of sleep as they washed carelessly over him.

--

The sun had just broken over the horizon when there was a sudden "SNAP" that brought Kurdy out of the deep dreamless sleep. Kurdy's eyes were soon visibly wide open as he held his breath and looked from right to left in search of a possible assailant. He hadn't seen anything that could have made the noise. He glanced down at Mr. Smith who was still sleeping, his head lying heavily on Kurdy's large chest. His lips moved as if in a silent prayer. He wasn't anywhere near awake and Kurdy was sure that he was lost in a fevered dream. Kurdy pulled Mr. Smith's body in towards his own as another twig clicked and then cracked under a mysterious weight. Glancing from side to side again there was still nothing that could have possibly caused the sound.

_Have they found us? Oh please let this be Jeremiah and Marcus!_

"Kurdy…" Smith's throaty crackling voice came as the shift woke him from his sleep.

"Shhh Smith…" Kurdy whispered. He looked to the left and right again not seeing anything that could be intruding or trying to catch them off guard.

Mr. Smith clamped his eyes closed tightly and clutched his stomach as it churned violently. He tried to hold his breath through the horrible burning in the pit of his belly. He struggled through the sickening feeling as the acidic bile started to rise from his stomach and into his throat. The small amount of bile felt like boiling acid as it seared along his already burning throat and into his mouth. He could taste the rancid liquid as it rested for just a moment on his tongue. Without thinking he rolled out of the cocoon like warmth of Kurdy's overcoat and onto his knees where he released the liquid; distressed he sat on his knees spewing the bitter hot spray over his lips and into the grassy earthen carpet. He then heaved heavily for what felt like forever, all that happened was he produced a blistering cough from what felt like the bottom of his feet.

Kurdy eased the visibly shaking Mr. Smith back into his coat and ran his own hand over the young mans glistening forehead. Smith's eyes were shimmering pools of deep crimson surrounded by hues of violet and blotchy red skin. He was burning up with fever from his injuries. Kurdy's face displayed the same sadness he felt as he watched his friend suffer. Mr. Smith continued to shake as he leaned heavily against the much bigger man. Kurdy swallowed hard before he broke the news to his friend.

"Smith we have to move." Kurdy raised his eyebrow at Mr. Smith who looked less than thrilled at the idea of standing up and moving again.

Mr. Smith took a deep shuddering breath coughed harshly and then let his breath out slowly. He swallowed the razor blades in the back of his throat as he wrapped an arm protectively across his midsection. He blinked slowly and then raised his eyes to Kurdy again. He nodded his head once and deliberately lowered his head. He closed his eyes slowly as he laid his head in the palm of his hands.

Kurdy stood up painfully and stretched achingly. He could feel the cold as it continued penetrating his bones like tiny ice cubes all over his joints. His ankle ached from the previous days fall. He lifted his leg and consciously rotated the appendage clockwise and then counter-clockwise. He could feel every snap and crack of tendons and ligaments as they rotated through the binding of swelling. Kurdy took a deep hissing breath through his teeth as he was reminded of the sharp pain of a sprained ankle.

"You… okay?" Mr. Smith croaked looking up at Kurdy who was glancing at the terrain leading to the main road.

"Me… yeah. Cold's going through me like needles today; but I'm fine. Just gotta get moving." He replied slowly running his dirty hands over his forehead and then his midnight black locks.

"You… want your coat?" Mr. Smith asked in a throaty voice.

"You keep it on; you're still burning up with fever."

Smith laid his head against the tree wrapping his arms around his sides as he coughed bitterly. He groaned from the tortured movements accompanied by the harsh cough. He heard the sound of movement directly in front of him and slowly opened his bloodshot eyes. He found himself staring directly into Kurdy's deep brown, coffee colored eyes. Smith let out a sharp breath as he closed his eyes again.

"I… don't know how much… more…"

"Smith… you're gonna make it. I'm not gonna let you quit my man." Kurdy announced firmly raising his eyebrow. "I'm sorry but we have to get going Smith."

Mr. Smith let out a suffering sigh as a he fought the tears of frustration that were rising inside of him. He was struggling to stay awake again as his head continued to thump relentlessly. Kurdy reached into his pocket and pulled out what was left of a bottle of water and handed it to Mr. Smith who grasped the plastic receptacle in his shaky hands. The plastic bottle was about a forth of the way full of liquid. He raised an unsteady hand to the cap and fought to just undo the closure.

"Let me help you."

Mr. Smith looked up at his friend with crimson rimmed eyes. He slowly lifted the bottle to Kurdy who stooped down and loosened the closure. He then handed the bottle back to Mr. Smith. The smaller round face man took the bottle and closed his eyes again.

"I… can't…"

Kurdy's stomach sank as he squatted down next to his friend.

"Its alright… just take it slowly."

Kurdy slowly lifted the bottle to Mr. Smith's lips allowing the clear fluid to drain slowly through his lightly parted lips. Mr. Smith let out a shallow cough as he struggled to swallow the liquid fast enough.

"Probably better stop for now. This is all we have. I need to try and keep you hydrated and not get you sick at the same time."

Mr. Smith nodded his head in acceptance to Kurdy's suggestion. His throat was still raw and all he wanted was to finish the bottle but he knew his friend was right. He also knew that his stomach was empty. That meant he would probably loose the contents from his stomach faster.

"C'mon Smith." Kurdy reached down and took Mr. Smith's arms and pulled him to his feet.

"Oh GOD… uhhhh…" Mr. Smith groaned loudly grasping at his heavily damaged right side with his hand.

"Kurdy…" Smith coughed hard as the slight movement about took him back down to his knees.

Kurdy swallowed hard as he watched the pained emotions sweep across his friends face. The tortured sounds of his physical struggle were almost too much for him to have to listen to.

"Just hang on Smith… it'll all be over soon… promise."

--

The duo continued in the direction of the main road. The physical state of Mr. Smith accompanied by Kurdy's sprained ankle made the journey that much more arduous. It was an exhausting two mile hike. They should have made it in about an hour but it felt like three or four hundred as Mr. Smith continued to lean heavily on Kurdy. Mr. Smith would slip and stumbled as he continued to struggle with the smallest incline. He panted heavily as they walked slowly up the side of the steep hill.

"Stop… please…" Mr. Smith stammered.

"No. Almost… there…" Kurdy huffed as he pulled Mr. Smith tighter into his own body.

Mr. Smith tried unsuccessfully to take in a deep breath. He panted heavily as they continued to trudge forward through the thicket. Mr. Smith was sweating profusely. His legs were burning and weak. His world was like a bubble. He could hear Kurdy as he continued to talk but nothing registered. He held tightly to his own aching and cracked ribs as they neared the top of the hill. They could see the broken pavement of the main road through the trees. Mr. Smith just continued to hold on his eyes closed tightly to hold off the pain in his cracked sides.

"See Smith… we made…" Kurdy's words fell flat as the walked through the clearing. "Oh shit…" Kurdy gasped stopping dead in his tracks.

--

Mr. Smith had lost all focus on the world in front of him. He heard the voice… something… He furrowed his brow as he looked down at the ground. They were standing in the middle of a road. On one side of the road were the bandits who had assaulted Mr. Smith and Lilly. On the other Thunder Mountain had appeared on the scene with a vengeance. His ears were ringing his head pounding, thumping mercilessly from the inside.

_Get down…_

Mr. Smith looked up a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. He slowly turned his head to the side as the click of weapons preparing to fire broke through the buzzing in his ears. He realized the two were in the middle of a war zone that was about to break between Thunder Mountain and the "Bailey Bandits."

Jeremiah had come through.

"Down… Kurdy… Get DOWN!"

Kurdy didn't think twice about the urgency in Mr. Smiths words. His voice was almost gone. Kurdy and Mr. Smith dropped heavily to the ground on their stomachs. Kurdy struggled to shield Smith while covering himself. He covered his head with his hands as the first shots rang bitterly through the morning.

**Now please review and ice the cupcake for me, LOL!!!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm running behind with updating stories as I have been really sick... Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews! Please keep in touch as they make the story so much more enjoyable to write when you start to feel overwhelmed with not knowing what direction to take a story in! You are all so awsome for reading and for reviewing! **

**Chapter 7**

The sounds of gun fire were rapid and terrifying. Smoke danced and swirled furiously around Kurdy and Smith who lay exposed and fearful between the two battling sides. Kurdy clamped his eyes closed as he shielded himself from one deafening explosion after another. He could hear Smith shout for help as a deafening explosion rumbled all around and was soon accompanied by showers of gravel and dirt which landed glaringly on the two vulnerable men. Kurdy reached his left arm out to wrap it around Smith and pull the battered man in towards his own body for protection. It wasn't long before the crashing and explosions of Bailey were wiped out by a sudden white hot pain in Kurdy's arm and then the darkness.

"I think he's waking up..." A deep voice was heard hovering over Kurdy.

It was soon accompanied by a more feminine voice. His left shoulder was throbbing and for some reason immobile. His head was swimming as he struggled to open his eyes. He was lying on his back and then was soon staring up at the sea of fluffy white clouds floating gently across the serene blue ocean of the heavens above him. He took a deep breath and winced as he let his right hand wonder across to his pulsating and punishing pain from his left arm and shoulder. He tried to sit up as another hand was placed on his shoulder and pushed him back down.

"Stay put Kurdy… uhh I mean… sir"

"Gina…" Her voice was so gentle but authoritative above him. "Yeah… you were shot trying to cover Smith…"

"Where is he… where's Smith?" Kurdy tried to sit up again this time with sudden panic as he remembered his badly injured friend.

"Relax…" she smiled as she gently laid a blanket over Kurdy's chest. She looked across the road in the direction of a group of Thunder Mountain's soldiers. She shouted something and then looked back down at Kurdy who gritted his teeth and shuddered at the devastating influx of pain in his shoulder. "He was taken back to the mountain on the same chopper with Marcus and Erin. Lee was pretty concerned with getting him patched up. He's got some busted ribs and was looking pretty shocky. They also said something about dehydration and some infection, sir. He looked pretty bad. Did these people do that to him? I mean I know he can be a bit of an annoyance with all that GOD stuff and everything… but really he's a nice guy. I mean despite the fact that he's…"

"Gina!" Kurdy shouted through clinched teeth.

"Sorry… you just hang tight we'll get you loaded in a second." She smiled as she patted Kurdy's rock hard chest with her dainty hands and then stood up. She pushed her stringy auburn locks behind her ears as she adjusted her camouflaged cap on her head and started to walk away.

Kudry furrowed his brow as he tried to relax where he was lying on the hard, cold ground. He blinked as he looked at the sky again. He watched the shapes float gently by reminding him of a lifetime ago when he had watched them in the park with his father. He gazed at them as they went from cottony, fluffy balls to take on shapes of baseball's, cars and various other forms.

"Gina… what about Jeremiah and Lilly?" Kurdy shouted as the Jeremiah's right hand "man" in Millhaven started to walk away.

Gina turned around and looked at the bigger man. She shook her head and shrugged as a group of large men lifted Kurdy onto a stretcher and then put into the back of a military convoy truck to be taken back to Thunder Mountain. He watched as the young woman took control of the remainder of the trucks. They had loaded the last of the survivors from Bailey into the convoy and were preparing to make the return trip to Thunder Mountain.

Kurdy felt a sense of pride rise up in him as he watched Gina handle the group of men and women effortlessly. She had become a formidable leader under his guidance. She was one of the first he had trained at the mountain after he and Jeremiah had their falling out. Her efforts and devotion had saved Jeremiah from a bizarre group of captors early on. She had helped him get the town of Millhaven under control in the dark days following the death of Libby when all Jeremiah had wanted to do was curl up and die or help someone else do the same. He felt the satisfaction of a father watching his young child walk for the first time.

--

Mr. Smith opened his eyes slowly to the pinging sounds of a cardiac monitor. He squinted as the lights were unbearably bright in his eyes. He slowly lifted his hand to feel the blankets warm and soft on his bare skin. He smelled the pleasant aroma of fresh linens in his nostrils as he ran his hands gingerly over his face. He shuddered as he felt the ripples of swelling and the sharp stab of pain each time he touched his own skin. He licked his chapped lips as he tried to sit up. Throwing the blankets over the edge of the bed and he swung his legs over the side. He panted heavily with each strenuous movement. He tugged anxiously at the wires on his chest and flung them to the side. He ground his teeth together as he lowered his feet to the chilly floor. He could feel his head as the world danced around in his vision. A sudden dark rolling fog blew in as his legs buckled and he pitched forward.

"Ohh…" he cringed as he soon realized that sitting up was a bad idea when you have cracked ribs and a concussion. He knew he had made a mistake by moving at all. The impact of the fall never came. He was in someone's arms.

"Hey! Get me some help in here!"

Someone was holding him in their arms. He could hear soft and urgent voices. He could hear someone's voice in particular. Smith raised a shaky hand reaching out towards the deep comforting voice.

Jeremiah sat on the floor holding Smith in his arms running his cool hand across Smith's slick forehead. He quietly talked to the shaking Smith telling him he was going to be alright. "Shhh… what are you trying to do Smith… kill yourself? Huh? You have to rest or there won't be anymore trips to Bailey or anywhere else."

"What happened?" Erin shouted as she walked in the door followed by several other medical staff members.

"I walked in and he was trying to stand up." Jeremiah stated continuing to watch Smith as he fought through his fever. "I caught'em before he hit the floor."

"Thank GOD!" A young woman on the medical staff repeated. "I'm not sure his concussion would have gotten any better if he had smacked his head again."

"Let's get him up…" another young female stated clearly.

"I'll help." Jeremiah responded as Smith finally opened his eyes. The normally green dancing orbs were bloodshot and scared. His bottom lip trembled as he continued to drip perspiration.

--

The others gathered around the small man and soon had him off of the floor and back in his bed. His covers were drawn tightly around his neck. They had removed the cardiac monitor cabals completely and turned the lights down over his bed. Jeremiah grabbed the cloth next to the bed and gently dipped it into a basin of cool water. He gently dabbed the cloth over the young mans forehead and face. He gently avoided the jumbled mess of bruises and cuts.

"Lilly…" Smith breathed softly looking up at Jeremiah who lay the cloth back down beside the bed.

"She's alright." Jeremiah soothed "She's with… Theo… of all people."

"Theo?" A booming voice could be heard as Kurdy walked into the room. He wore a sleeveless shirt and his arm hung limply around his neck in a sling.

Jeremiah smiled a bright smile as he watched his tall friend walk in.

"What in the world is that poor little girl doing with… Theo? I thought we had already rescued… well "the Angel" over here had already rescued her once." Kurdy curled his lip as he looked down at Smith who had his reddened eyes opened. Mr. Smith tried to smile as Kurdy caught his hand and shook it lightly in his own.

"How you feeling old boy?"

"Been… better…" Smith responded.

"You've looked better." Kurdy said with a wink.

Jeremiah watched the two and then continued with his explanation. "I guess they hit it off and Erin thinks they should spend some time together. I'm not sure what Theo is going to teach a young impressionable little girl but she went straight to Theo when we got out of the Rover."

Smith lay silently in the bed listening to the conversation as it revolved around the vulgar African-American woman who was one of the strongest women any of them had ever met.

"You should have seen her face when the little girl latched onto her." Jeremiah looked nervously at the floor as he ran his hand through his hair. "She walked straight past Erin and straight up to Theo. She wrapped her arms around her waist and just stood there. Marcus and Erin were just as stumped as I was."

Kurdy raised his eyebrow and looked over at Jeremiah. He couldn't believe his own ears.

"They need… each other." Mr. Smith stated softly.

"Smith…" Kurdy smiled looking down at his partner. "I'm sorry… I put you through…"

"We all… would never have… made it back if you hadn't." Smith clamped his eyes closed as his head began to thump harder.

"You gonna be alright Smith?" Kurdy raised his eyebrow as he watched his friend continue to suffer in relative comfort.

"Yeah… apparently… headache's happen with concussions." He panted. "I'm tired…"

"Hey why don't we go and get some grub and let Smith get some rest." Jeremiah asked scratching his head uncomfortably.

"Yeah… Smith… I'll be by later. You get some rest… okay?" Kurdy asked as he looked down at Mr. Smith who was beginning to lose his battle with consciousness.

"Okay…" Mr. Smith closed his eyes again and slipped off into a warm dreamless sleep.

**Now... please read and review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey!! Sorry it has taken some time I had to deal with life issues. Please read and enjoy and thanks again for all who read and reviewed as it means the world to me!!! You're the bestest!**

**Chapter 8**

"Uh-uh… I don't think so!" Theo waved her finger in Jeremiah's face as he, Kurdy and Smith sat down to tell her they were taking her from the mountain to put her into school. "No sir… over my withered, cold, dead, stinking corpse. You are not taking that girl." Theo rubbed her hand over her swollen pregnant belly. She looked absolutely distraught as she watched the little girl sleeping in the bunk just inside her room.

"Theo you have to understand that she was only brought here to get her well and then she was going to be sent on." Jeremiah stated calmly.

"Uh no." Theo pursed her lips as he looked bitterly at the men.

"She'll be fine Theo… there are other children there her age. She will be taught to read and write…"

"Stuff she can learn here!" Theo interrupted loudly.

"Please don't make this any harder than it has to be." Jeremiah sounded horse as he cleared his throat. He was still suffering from a cold he had picked up from the time in Bailey.

"Maybe you would want to go with us. You know… to check it out. You could make sure she was safe there?" Mr. Smith blurted out. He lifted his eyebrow as he nodded his head in her direction. He offered the slightest sign of a smile behind the slowly fading purple and now yellow bruises. He still hugged his side where he had cracked his ribs and the spot where the stick had pressed through his skin still wasn't healing correctly. It still hurt on occasion to take a breath but the group of healer's seemed optimistic that the pain would start to go away as his ribs healed completely.

Theo let out a loud sigh as she rubbed her stomach again. She was due to have her baby in a few weeks. She and Lilly were both eagerly awaiting the miracle growing inside of the overly opinionated woman. Nobody from the mountain could believe how she and Lilly had become an instant duet. Even Theo had fought it for a day before she realized the little girl needed a mother figure. Theo just wasn't sure that she was the mother for her.

"Maybe… when do we go?" Theo huffed.

Jeremiah looked coldly back at Mr. Smith who raised his eyebrow and then looked down at the floor. He let out a sigh as he realized he probably should have said something to Jeremiah and Kurdy about asking the woman to accompany them. He knew the history between them but he had felt the voice rising up inside of him. The voice… GOD's voice… had told him to take her there. It had not given any indication as to why. Just to take her there. The voice had also said to take Lilly as well. Lilly had an important future in this post-apocalyptical world. What it would be he wasn't sure yet but the only way she would inherit that future was at the school led by Sister Hannah.

"When are we leaving Mr. Smith?" Jeremiah asked in an overly friendly tone. He blinked as he waited for the smaller man to look up at him and answer.

"UH… hey Jeremiah… I think that we stick to our original plan of tomorrow at noon. It'll only take a few hours and then we'll be back by dark." Kurdy nodded his head at Smith who blew out the breath he had been holding for quite sometime.

"Sure… we'll leave at noon." Jeremiah repeated shaking his head at Smith. He then turned on his heal and walked away.

--

"Look… I know you're not happy…"

"Smith… I just wish you would run your ideas by me before you spout them out to the whole universe." Jeremiah complained as he cut off Mr. Smith.

"Well you know Jeremiah… she did agree to let Lilly go." Kurdy shrugged his shoulders.

"Butt out Kurdy…" Jeremiah snapped

"Hey my man… I'm just say'n…" Kurdy patted his chest as he walked into their room carelessly flipping his coat onto his bottom bunk.

Jeremiah turned and looked at Kurdy with the same look of distain. "You mean to tell me you want to travel with… her?"

"No… but he did get her to let Lilly go with us. Who knows… maybe she'll do us all a favor and stay." Kurdy winked looking back at Mr. Smith who was already lost in thought. "Yo… Smith… Smith… HEY SMITH!"

Mr. Smith raised his head and his eyebrows at the same time. He glanced at Kurdy who was sitting facing him on a bed. He shifted uncomfortably waiting for someone to confirm his statement.

"Sure… Sure. I mean… yeah… why not… maybe Theo will just… leave. I gotta go." Smith turned and walked out of the room.

"He is so bizarre." Jeremiah stated pointing at the door after Smith left.

Kurdy shook his head as he made himself comfortable on the bottom bunk. He watched the top of the bunk for five minutes and then rolled onto his side. He closed his eyes as he listened to Jeremiah clamber onto his top bunk. He was tired and tomorrow was bound to be a very long day. He pulled the covers up over him as Jeremiah continued to talk out loud about Mr. Smith. He tried to continue to listen to his friend but it wasn't long before he was soon sleeping soundly.

--

"Good morning!" Mr. Smith walked into the cafeteria carrying a tray of food. Right next to him was the beautiful blue eyed child. She walked close to his legs. Her hair was pulled back into two braids on either side of her face. She held a brown teddy bear close to her. Smith placed his tray on the table in beside Jeremiah and across from Kurdy. He pulled out his chair and took his seat. He started to pull out a chair for Lilly when the little girl climbed up into his lap. She handed her angel her teddy bear and then proceeded to tear into his fruit and bread.

"She just let you know where you stand." Kurdy laughed.

"Yeah… I get the feeling she might be hungry." Smith reached around the small child setting the bear on his haunches and took an apple and began to bite into it.

"Where's Theo?" Jeremiah asked as he handed a grape from his own tray to Lilly who took the bit of purple fruit and deposited it hungrily into her mouth. Jeremiah smiled at her and Lilly quickly returned the same smile between bites.

"Thank you." She shyly replied to the man.

"No problem ma'am… you look hungry." Jeremiah chuckled.

It had been a few weeks since they had returned from Bailey. Jeremiah and Kurdy were both recovering nicely from their gunshot wounds. But the most important thing was that Lilly was nearly completely recovered from her tortuous ordeal with the bandits. She no longer looked so terribly sad and sickly. She had quickly begun to gain weight and would smile. Her blue eyes would just sparkle as she would smile the most beautifully innocent grin. She behaved like she was a child again. She was beginning to let go of the million mile stare she had come in with. Jeremiah just imagined to himself how truly beautiful the child was. He would gladly go through the same and worse to protect her from any harm.

"I'm right here." Her voice cut into Jeremiah's thoughts as he lifted his head to face Theo.

"Good morning." Jeremiah smiled back. That woman was going to be the death of him. "We leave in two hours Theo, please be ready."

"Oh… Theo is always ready." She snapped back.

"Good… Kurdy, Smith, Lilly… I'll see you soon. I'm gonna go and… check on the Rover." Jeremiah turned and left the table.

--

The trip to the school was a cold one for Mr. Smith and Kurdy. Out of respect for the pregnant woman and the child the two men sat in the uncomfortable back. They would turn around occasionally to talk to the trio in the front but for the most part Kurdy watched the world go by and Smith sat alone in his thoughts. He was leaving Lilly with his daughter at the school. He was thrilled with the idea that the two would have each other. She was so much like Rose. She was special…

The truck came to a screeching stop as they pulled up to the front of the Tudor style house. It was a beautiful mansion. A house that a very fortunate family had probably spent a great deal of time planning for, building and decorating with love about a million years ago. Jeremiah emerged slowly from the truck stretching and yawning. He looked towards the house and then back down into the sparkling blue eyes sliding over towards him. He couldn't stop the smile as it spread slowly across him lips. Lilly parted her lips and smiled with a toothy grin. She gracefully opened her arms and waited for Jeremiah to lift her from the cab of the truck in his arms.

"Well… need a lift." Jeremiah laughed as she jumped into his open arms.

"Yeah…" the little girl giggled as Jeremiah pulled her close to him and shut the door behind them.

Jeremiah wanted to cry as he thought about her leaving. She was such a beautiful amazing girl. She had kept him awake the whole way back to the mountain after had he had gotten shot. He had lost more blood than he thought after getting shot in the arm trying to rescue Smith from the Bailey Bandits. He couldn't believe how smart she was, knowing that she needed to keep him talking through his misery.

Kurdy and Mr. Smith both jumped out of the back of their Rover as Theo slowly emerged from the cab.

"Damn… this is nice… like a regular Hilton. Don't get me wrong… I haven't been to one of those since I was a kid but I remember them. And I thought Thunder Mountain was nice…" Theo rambled as she rubbed her swollen stomach and walked towards the entry. She ran her fingers over the shrubbery as she neared the door.

Sister Hannah walked outside as the naturally suspicious black woman began to lift her hand to the door knocker. She smiled warmly as she saw Mr. Smith, Kurdy and Jeremiah approach. She looked at Lilly who had reached for Mr. Smith only to be told he couldn't carry her. He was still struggling with his painfully cracked ribs.

"Right on time." She smiled extending her hand.

"On time for what…" Theo blurted out recoiling from the warm gesture.

"We've been expecting you… all of you." Hannah smiled.

"Who told you we were coming?" Jeremiah asked.

"I radioed ahead and let them know." Kurdy responded.

Jeremiah nodded his head remembering the soldiers whom Smith had requested to protect the school. He still marveled at the little geniuses that were working inside of the home. He was blown away at the things they knew and he would never understand.

"Come in…" Hannah gestured towards the door.

--

The group entered the warm brightly lit school. Students milled around on their way to and from classes accompanied by teachers. They happily chatted about theories and mathematical equations. Things most adults never thought about or even understood. The group watched in complete awe as the students walked and communicated.

"This is better than the schools I remember." Theo looked around at the marveling at the warm surroundings.

"We were just about to break for the day. Perhaps you're hungry and would like to join us for dinner?" Hannah asked with a smile.

"That sounds great." Smith smiled gripping his side a little tighter.

Hannah nodded. She noted the bruises healing on his face. She motioned for them to proceeded when a little girl came bolting down the staircase. Her long brown hair was pulled gently from her shoulders in a long sweeping ponytail which bounced playfully off of her back. She had a soft round face and looked about seven to ten years old… about the same age as their precious Lilly. She had the look of genuine surprise and happiness. It was the words she spoke that sent the rest into shock.

"Daddy!"

"Rose…" Smith nearly cried hit his knees and wrapped the little girl tightly into his arms. "Oh… my little Rose."

"Did she just say…" Theo whispered.

"Smith's a…" Kurdy inhaled.

"Daddy?" Jeremiah's jaw fell as he watched the reunion. He looked over at Lilly who had a peculiar smile on her face. She bit her lip as she continued to watch the unexpected reunion.

**Please read and reveiw!!!**


	9. Chapter 9

**I know this is a little goofy, but it will have to do unless I can come up with something better! Enjoy...**

**Chapter 9**

"I'm not going back with you three." Theo surprised the men with her announcement. She continued to rub her swollen stomach with her right hand. The movement was sort of a calling card to anyone who would even question if a woman was expecting. Theo was defiantly expecting, and very soon. She smiled at the men. It was an expression that the three just weren't accustomed to from the hardened woman.

"Wait…" Jeremiah shook his head taking a step towards the petiet overly exuberant, moderately flamboyant African American woman. "…did you just say that you are staying here with a group of women who are teachers?"

"I thought you wanted to raise little Cleo or was it Leo at the mountain." Kurdy asked shaking his head in confusion.

"Boys, I know that it will be very difficult for you to adjust to life without Theo. You are just going to have to try to get over it." Theo smiled a crooked smile as she almost mocked the confused men.

"I think that you made a good decision." Smith nodded in approval. He was confused too. He knew that the woman and the two men had a history together but he wasn't aware of the whole story.

Kurdy shook his head in confusion as he looked over at Sister Hannah who simply stood at the door with a smile on her face. She held onto Lilly's hand with one hand and Rose's hand with her other.

Theo took another step towards Kurdy and Jeremiah who watched in dumfounded confusion.

"Look this is a chance… a chance for this one to have a better life. I mean… I can't teach my baby about math and science. I didn't pass that crap when I was in school. I wasn't good at it. I want it to have a chance." Her eyes were gentle and sincere. She licked her lips and continued. "I questioned if I even wanted it when I was at the mountain and then something happened inside of me and I just want the best for it. Here it'll have that chance."

"Theo, the baby would have a chance at the mountain." Kurdy pointed out.

"True…" Theo raised that brow at the men. "But here it'll have a sister… Lilly."

Smith took a shuddering breath in as he looked up at Theo. She was a woman of profound thought. She had a vision, an often selfish one, but she had one. She had always had a plan. That plan had protected her when life on the streets should have killed her. That plan had saved a town and then helped to save the mountain. She had done her part to help with the alliance. Today she had a vision for her unborn child. That vision would mean a future for it not matter what.

--

Smith smiled as he turned his back on the three who were still talking and headed to the door. Sister Hannah smiled at Smith. She had always been so proud of the devotion Mister Smith had had for his daughter. He had chosen to walk away from her to save her from the world to help deliver the world someday. She knew it was hard for him to be away from the young girl. She also knew the sadness Rose held in her heart not seeing her father. It made her proud to know GOD was alive and speaking through his profits again.

"Do you have to go?" Rose asked poking her bottom lip out as she squeezed Smith tightly around the neck

"Yeah… daddy has to go for now. You need to look after Lilly and help her. She's gonna be a little scared at first." Smith raised his right eyebrow as he gave his daughter the "do you understand" look that fathers give their children.

"I know daddy." Rose smiled as she looked over at Lilly who pulled herself from Hannah to approach the two.

Lilly's blue eyes sparkled underneath the blond bangs which hung just above her brow line. Her hair blew in the cool afternoon breeze. She had a tear in her eye as she looked up at Smith who felt himself start to tear up. To him she was the most precious. She had been abused by a madman who also happened to be the one who murdered her family. She had bravely taken that abuse for too long waiting for GOD's promise of delivery by an angel.

"Please don't go." She whispered as the tear slipped down her cheek.

"It's alright Lilly… he'll be back." Rose smiled taking her by the hand. "Daddy always comes back."

Smith was taken aback at the comment. He felt the tear he had been struggling to hold in roll shamelessly down the discolored yellow and purple of his cheek. He took a deep breath as the girls bolted for him standing together hugging him tightly around the neck.

Smith knew he wasn't ready to give this up yet.

--

"Smith…" Jeremiah shouted at the smaller man as Theo walked towards the house. Smith gave Rose a kiss on the cheek and then turned and gave a kiss to his little Lilly. "Be good for Sister Hannah and mind Theo. Lilly you take care of Rose and Rose you take care of Lilly…"

It was becoming overly apparent Mister Smith wasn't ready to go. Jeremiah thought to himself how difficult it would be to walk away from your child in the world today. She wasn't his but he could feel the pains growing inside of his stomach as he remembered how Lilly had slept in his arms after he and Kurdy had found her in the woods. He remembered how she had slept all the way back to the mountain with her head on his lap. She was his little girl, she was Kurdy's little girl… and Smith… he was her angel.

--

Kurdy watched Smith as he rose painfully slow to his feet. He had nearly given his life to save the tiny little creature from the heathens of Bailey. He remembered the beating he had endured and knew that the ache Smith was feeling today was a direct result of that. He and Smith had nearly died on the road in the battle between Thunder Mountain and Bailey. They had survived for this day. The day that they would deliver Lilly to the school… the day that Smith saw his daughter… and the unexpected departure of Theo who insisted she needed to stay at the school. Although Kurdy knew it was because she wanted to be with Lilly, she was right, she did have a better chance with the teachers and the children of the school.

He watched as the little blond child made her way over to where Jeremiah stood holding vigil by the Rover. She had pulled him to his knees. She then took his cheeks in her hands and whispered something in his ear. Jeremiah bit his lip visibly choked up by the innocence of the child. He then pulled her in tightly for a hug as she kissed him on the cheek and he whispered something back in her ear. He then stood up slowly wiping a tear from his eye with his hand.

--

Kurdy looked down at Lilly walked up to him interrupting him from his thoughts.

"Mr. Kurdy…" she had that far off look in her eyes. The same look she had when Jeremiah and he had found her cradling the remains of a tattered purple scarf in the woods.

"Yeah baby?" Kurdy leaned over and lifted her up holding her in his arms.

"Mr. Kurdy, do you have to go to?"

Kurdy nearly melted into her big blue eyes. She had him wrapped tightly around his finger. He wanted to badly to say no. It was his commitment to the mountain that stopped him.

"Yeah little girl… I have to go." He smiled rubbing his forefinger over the bridge of his nose. She let out a giggle and followed it up with her arms around his neck too.

"I love you." She murmured in his ear.

"I love you too little girl."

Where had this little girl come from? She was melting his heart with the smallest gestures. He hadn't heard that from anyone since Elizabeth. He felt a lump in his throat as he held her tightly to him. He was going to miss her so much.

"I love you too." Kurdy answered again as he held her in his arms.

--

"You ready?" Jeremiah asked as he climbed into the driver's seat.

"Yeah…" Kurdy responded looking at the foursome walking into the mansion.

"Yeah…" Mister Smith answered nodding his head. He turned and climbed into the cab of the truck holding his bag on his shoulder.

"Where to next?" Kurdy asked Jeremiah.

"Millhaven." Jeremiah responded.

"What for?" Mister Smith asked.

"I need a drink and it's the closest town to us right now." Jeremiah said calmly turning the key in the Rover bringing the engine rumbling to life.

"A drink?" Smith wrinkled his nose.

"Yeah Smith, a drink." Jeremiah answered coldly.

"Not sure weather to celebrate the loss of Theo or to morn the loss of Lilly." Kurdy replied.

"Nah… I'm gonna toast the fact that Smith here is a daddy and she isn't annoying, chatty, obnoxious and is hardly as ugly as he is." Jeremiah laughed throwing the vehicle into drive.

"HaHa very funny…" Smith reacted to the laughter of his two best friends.

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